Enhanced catalytic activity through the tuning of micropore environment and supercritical CO₂ processing: Al(Porphyrin)-based porous organic polymers for the degradation of a nerve agent simulant

An Al(porphyrin) functionalized with a large axial ligand was incorporated into a porous organic polymer (POP) using a cobalt-catalyzed acetylene trimerization strategy. Removal of the axial ligand afforded a microporous POP that is catalytically active in the methanolysis of a nerve agent simulant. Supercritical CO₂ processing of the POP dramatically increased the pore size and volume, allowing for significantly higher catalytic activities.